ENOUGH THEORY! A Somali consortium putting nexus programming into action

NEXUS is a platform for civil society leadership to advance a new community-driven model of a partnership promoting peaceful, thriving, and empowered communities in Somalia and Somaliland. This unique consortium, led by eight pioneering Somali non-governmental organizations (NGOs), aspires to lead a locally-driven agenda for change, working in partnership with the Somali government, private sector, and international partners.

Founded in 2019, Nexus includes eight core members: Centre for Peace and Democracy (CPD), Gargaar Relief and Development Organization (GREDO), Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO), KAALO, Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC), Social-Life and Agriculture Development Organisation (SADO), Taakulo Somaliland Community (TASCO), and Wajir South Development Association (WASDA). The eight members bring together an average of over 23 years’ experience, and programmatic and policy expertise covering peacebuilding, conflict resolution, protection and GBV, health services, youth engagement, humanitarian response, WASH, livelihoods, cash transfers, education, and many more areas, thus facilitating integrated and coherent programming that links immediate relief with longer-term resilience and peacebuilding. Collectively, Nexus member organizations managed over US$30 million in 2019 from more than 30 donors, to reach over 2.3 million people.

This paper will explain NEXUS’ governance (chapter 1) and fund management (chapter 2) structure. In general, the structure of Nexus is designed to ensure south-to-south capacity and institutional development that leads to graduation of new members to core members after achieving set standards. International partners, Oxfam and Save the Children International have supported NEXUS since 2019, and have committed to a gradual transition of functions to the Nexus Platform during the first three years. Together, all organizations have signed an MOU to guide the partnership, and members contribute an annual $6,000 per organization ($10,000 for international organizations) to the NEXUS Common Fund to enable self-financing and resource mobilization.